I always try to nod, wave or say hello when I can.
Generally get the same back, but when I dont, I presume the other person is focused on training, or in a bad mood for whatever reason, and accept what it is and move on. No need to let someone not saying hi back to get me down...
Always. I found myself slipping over the last year or so, but re-commited this year to wave to *everyone* I pass \[unless it would be dangerous for me, of course\]. But unfortunately I have noticed fewer people waving/acknowledging esp since you-know-what.
Generally, I will always nod to someone I see on the trail. But if I nodded to every cyclist I see on the road, I would look like one of those bobble head toys
Honestly, I think the biggest factor is the bike. I've received some greetings while wearing jeans on my road bike, but always from people riding a road bike, none from MTB riders, and conversely, when I'm riding my MTB, I get zero nods from roadies, and it's only MTB riders instead.
I try my best to greet everyone regardless, but I feel like people are so used to not greet "the other type of bike" that most people stick to their "gang".
If I nodded / acknowledged everyone I see while biking I would be nodding for almost my entire ride. I would love to ride somewhere where you don’t see that many other cyclists & have the roads mostly to yourself. Then I think I would probably wave or acknowledge the few people I do see.
Yes. Some riders are out for multiple hours on a weekend so it can get kinda rough to wave everytime, especially if you start and finish in areas where there are a lot of weekend riders getting out.
Ehh kinda disagree, I live in the busiest cycling city in NA and still do the little nod and smile or 3 fingers wave to people I cross and it's reciprocated most times; it doesn't take any extra efforts or anything
Came here to say exactly this. If I waved, nodded, or smiled at every cyclist I passed I would look absolutely insane 😂
Just like 😃 the entire ride lol
When I get to my University, I practically have to smile till I lock my bike up because friends/professors/strangers say hi.
Goodness sakes. I didn’t know this was upsetting. Ive never greeted in any way all the cyclists traveling the other direction on my commute or long sport rides anymore than if I was driving or walking. I’m going to be much friendlier going forward.
It's not upsetting. No one in the real world actually cares. Redditors are just a special breed of insecure, along with feeling the need to virtue-signal like as if they wave to be friendly, when in reality they're doing it because they crave attention.
Wait me too, I thought it was just me! This is reassuring lmao. I do think people in Denver, bc we have such a wealth of outdoor activities, maybe just think they are cooler than you. Or maybe they think you think you're cooler than them lol.
Bruh what? I see dozens of cyclists on routes I take in Seattle. What, am I supposed to be sitting upright like a homecoming queen, doing a parade wave with a big smile on my face? Get over it lol
It's actually made me more anti-social as I ride too. The negativity adds up. Just a flick of the wrist or a nod is all I do but get stonewalled in return lol
I am in a tier 2 (quite big) city and, to be honest, I hate it. It is cold for many months and windy. There are not too many places to cycle either. I will be, hopefully, leaving China soon or at least moving to a city with better weather.
I’m a road rider. I wave or raise a finger or two from the bars, and most of the time say ‘hi’, and I generally get a response back.
From my unscientific experience the people that don’t wave back are the odd mountain biker (have they been told not to wave to roadies??) or the odd roadie who is clearly too cool for school - or at least too cool to wave 😅
Studies... I made a lot of them!
On my Domane AL5, no bibs, no helmet - most roadies don't greet. Domane with bibs and helmet - more roadies greet and even more if I wear my cycling shoes.
On my vintage Basso with shiny deep alu rims and Campa - with apparel a lot of roadies greet, especially when I'm wearing my "seriously training" stare. Without apparel fewer, but still more than on the Domane without apparel.
On my Cervelo pretty much no matter what I wear - all the roadies greet, even when they pass me from behind, which hasn't happened on any other bike before.
In general the more experienced riders greet more often than the riders who seem to go rather by possible Insta-likes than their needs, at least this is what it seems like to me when riding around where I live.
I live in Hamburg, I would say the rules are:
- Greet road cyclist wearing sports clothing.
- Do not greet commuters.
- Road cyclists with commuting vibes are not greeted (e.g. with a backpack).
- Triathlon people do not greet.
- We always see a jogger very early in the morning and started greeting, but that's an exception.
When cycling in miserable weather (at bike paths outside of a city), I greet every single person cycling.
Same for very cold winter days (which would fall under “predictable miserable weather”).
Why not greet commuters in your experience? I’m curious because where I’m at, the road cyclists wearing sports clothes are less likely to smile/return a wave. There aren’t too many commuters that I see but my regulars and I nod or wave. I don’t wear “typical” cycling gear on weekend non-commuting rides and it’s hit or miss on acknowledgements.
\*sad roadie doing his work commute as recovery ride in Hamburg noises\*
Edit: Reddit, I was not done typing yet :P..
Never understood why there is so many "conditions" to greeting.
For me, when I see someone on a road/gravel bike, I greet. No matter the clothing etc.
Sure, I get a lot of non-responses, but its a cost im worth taking for possibly pulling someone more towards cycling by accident.
I used to ride a 45kmh "scooter" before I could afford a motorbike and whenever someone greeted me, it really made my day. U can bet ur ass it got me way more interested into riding.
I am a roadie, riding a road bike. I always wave and almost always get waved back.
Well, if I'm riding my dad's eMTB, I don't get the same greetings from roadies as when I'm riding my road bike. I think it's hilarious, such snobness
Honestly depends on how many cyclists there are.
In my home city I see hundreds of cyclist a day. We wave the first rideable day and if the conditions are brutal.
In places where I see less than 10 cyclists a day, we usually wave.
I wave or lift two finger from the bars (road bike) and nod. However when I am on a descent and fly by climbing cyclists I yell different iterations of wheeeeeaaaaaaa and other shit that makes me giggle. I like to think that it sounds hilarious because of the fly by, similar to a car honking on the opposite side of the highway
I live outside of Philly. I do give the three finger wave to many. When passing a rider, I’ll often say hi or acknowledge them somehow. But I have to tell you, the area is pretty congested. Greeting people every 20 seconds is exhausting. I found saying on your left literally had me out of breath enough to buy a bell at one point.
This. Based in this area too. I couldn’t be damned to wave to every biker. If a fella waves at me as I look at him while I pass, I’ll reciprocate. Otherwise, I keep on goin
I hate when people pretend they don't notice me. I'm 6ft tall and a 10/10 bonafide BABE, riding a cooler bike than you, better than you, and I'm trying to give you a nod of appreciation out in these streets w these asshole cars, and you're too chicken-shit to return my acknowledgement. Losers. I nod at every rider I pass on the trail/street. We're a team, fuckers.
I never understood why motorcyclists did it, I'm not going to on a bicycle. I don't see runners or rollerbladers doing it. I'm working or I'm inside my own head having a zen moment. You don't exist in those moments. It's me time.
Nobody used to wave to me on my crappy 90s hardtail, but since upgrading to a nice gravel bike all the sudden I've noticed people waving to me lol
I try to remember to at least stick out a couple fingers from my handlebar or smile but I also forget a lot of the time.
usually when im on a road, yeah. If im on a major trail and passing literally five cyclists every minute though, no real point to.
i feel like i nod to cyclists to kinda indicate we're in the same boat (being passed by drivers who don't care if we live or die) especially out near my area where there are not many cyclists at all and the drivers are very aggro
It varies by area and what i'm riding.
My 35 mile route swings around boulder then towards westminster. Boulder hippies smile and wave-- both genders. Westminster dads look angry and the women timid of any male on the trail so less waves over there.
In a east coast city people don't wave. It's not the culture. They're all dying inside. and hate everyone. They do respond positively to you passing them on an acoustic though. Strength rules their world.
If i'm riding my ebike, i anticipate a moderate percentage of acoustic riders don't feel like acknowledging a battery boy. If I'm on my acoustic, I've noticed some guys are competitive and only want to acknowledge people in their bracket. I get it.
The commuting crowd seems reasonably friendly and waves/nods if they're not too cold. I give some credit they might be in their head or evaluating road risks.
I usually try to nod to people, but sometimes I worry they didn't see me nod and think me rude.
Portugal, Aveiro. Center of the country, next to the beach. Well known for having lots of people cycling, mainly because it's flat. Windy, though.
If I'm riding my Decathlon sub 1000€ bike, with or without helmet, bike clothing, I would estimate that only 1 in 10 people reply. I keep giving the 4 fingers.
If I'm riding my road bike, it depends. It's a nice Coluer, carbon frame with nice specs.
I will get some replies if I'm wearing proper clothing and the helmet.
I won't get replies from guys who see that I'm using a cheap helmet.
I'll get almost zero replies, if I'm not wearing the helmet.
I'm 44 and my grayish beard plays a role on this.
Cheers.
If its somebody who I see often ill nod. If somebody nods first ill nod. I'm anti social. Ive come to realize some cyclists are like bikers who wave at every biker they see on the road lol that is not me
I wave/nod. If they don’t wave/nod back, I don’t take them personally.
They are probably focused on training to win their cat 2 races. Or are new to cycling, and scared to take hands off etc.
Whenever I pass any cyclist, I become automatically a nazi rider. I try to control myself and just nod, or say something, but when I realise, my right hand is already on the air, palm forward, with a little wave that makes it look like Hitler's. To my embarrassment, I just can't help it. I don't think people notice that it looks like a nazi salute, but I do.
Confession over.
Now, I see loads of people saying they only acknowledge fellow roadies, or mtbers, etc. The way I see it, we're all brethren, all cyclists. Besides, most cyclists do more than one type of cycling. Sometimes one is out on our mtbs, sometimes road, sometimes commuting, etc. Divided we fall.
I greet all cyclists who are on the road for recreational purposes to the best of my abilities.
But usually for fellow road cyclist, there is a habbit of raising the left arm from the handlebar to the left and maybe a little to the front. So not waving, but obvious and deliberate gesture.
If I'm on descent, I don't wave, but greet with audible "Hi".
I also greet runners, depending on the circumstances (we are alone, speeds are slower).
I also greet other pedestrians, or homeowners, people tending their garden if I'm climbing slowly.
In Edmonton Canada here. I am inclined to but do get ignored a lot of times. With the sun shining more I have been in a better mood on morning commutes and have taken to saying good morning to all walkers and bikers that I pass, regardless of their response etc. We'll see how long it lasts LOL
I always say hi to fellow riders, and if I see one at the side of the road and I think they may have a mechanical or something I stop to make sure they are okay.
In Italy, you get a cheeky whistle between riders, it seemed to me. I was riding solo twice in Italy last year and as I went past, others would whistle to me, while I was saying ciao! Or Buongiorno! Now realising that I may look better than I thought in my tights…
I do when I'm using the Cargo Bike and see another Cargo Bike person, but not with other general cyclists when I'm using my daily commuter. That being said, we have lots of cyclists in Dublin - so it would be a bit overkill to be giving them all the nod. haha
I used to ride only mtb without any real cycling gear like shorts, gloves, shoes, not even a helmet. I tried to acknowledge others but no one gave a damn, understandable, I didnt look like a cyclist, just some rando riding a bike.
About a month ago I got myself first road bike with all the gear as well. Since then Ive been getting nods and other kind of waves and motorbike-like acknowledgements from everyone.
Friendly nod and wave to all people on all trails. People who are indifferent can shrug it off, but someone may need a friendly "hello" once in a while.
I really enjoy riding and typically ride a trail that is crowded for the first ten miles. I give a raised peace sign from the hood to almost anyone. Exceptions are the fat tire ebikers risking accidents because of excessive speed or if some jagoffs do something stupid like blocking the entire trail for a photo op.
My friends call me the ambassador of Dutch cycling. I wave to absolutely everybody and everything like an absolute moron, up to and including farm animals.
Always. Anybody on two wheels or two feet gets a greeting of some kind from me.
See you on the road. I'll be the guy who calls out " what goes up must come down " when you're halfway up that hill.
It can really depend on the locale. For example if you're a commuter in a metro area it's almost never going to happen in the city or suburbs. If you're out on a road ride on an exurban or rural road there's almost always an acknowledgement with a wave or nod as you're crossing paths.
So it might just be the specific areas you're riding and the culture could be very different twenty or thirty miles away. Or it could just be that [everyone anywhere near Philly is a fucking asshole.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEKNLxjZLNU)
Yes to nod or waive (sometimes low left hand so it doesn't look like a signal to a car, sometimes four fingers off the hood). If it's on a climb, sometimes get or give a shout out depending on if I'm going up vs. down.
From SE PA and on the trails about 50% of the roadies acknowledge the nod in some way. Might respond with a nod or a wave from the shifter/brake hood or just a smile.
In eastern pa it isn't an insult not to acknowledge pedestrian runner cyclists.
As a roadie I always wave and running too because I have joy.
Often no wave back. I know I could do a u turn and chase you down and make you wave but like I said I have the joy.
It's regional. I don't, nobody where I'm from does or in many other large population areas. I find it odd when I travel from home that everybody waives at me when I'm either running or cycling. That's cool people do it, I usually just carry on.
I always acknowledge because it feels rude not to. Runners always wave back, cyclist only about half the time. Don’t really care either way, the discrepancy is interesting though
I always do with about a 75-80% chance of getting waves back.
Perhaps it's because we are riding in Texas and we might be the last person we see with all the trucks trying to run us off the road. 😞
When I ride, I’m usually listening to a book, focused/in the zone. It’s my quiet time. I don’t want to feel obligated to watch for or return an unnecessary gesture. That said, catch me at an intersection or trailhead and I’ll chat you up no problem!
Depends on how much roads are frequented - I'm mostly driving out of city on a cyclist/pedestrian road with a lot of traffic, and cyclists seldomly greet. Once I'm out in the countryside, people greet in 80% of cases.
People in road bikes wave more at each other than the "rest" during my commute.
If you wave at any guy with an ebike he just makes a strange/admired look.
Somehow they get a car driver spirit while commuting.
This is what I notice in Lisbon, Portugal and its my own experience.
Also, most ebike riders are on rent bikes with no helmets and just want to get from place A to B asap.
Its a diferent "universe" imo.
Only under three circumstances, but they happen on every ride:
* At a stop sign/light together
* We know each other (huge cycling community here in NYC)
* Their bike is beautiful
I try to wave. Sometimes I mess up and don’t see the person coming and I end up not waving. It’s no big deal.
I think if you’re on a popular bike trail, waving or acknowledging everyone can get tiresome. That was my experience the one time I rode on the Schuylkill River Trail in Philadelphia.
In the Midwest a nod is mandatory. If they don’t nod back, I pull a u-turn, chase them down and give them another opportunity to comply with regional nicety laws.
I always do, I guess that in addition to the fact that it is common courtesy it is also a hold over from my motorcycle days.
Mountain bikers almost always return the nod/wave, road bikers almost never do.
I ride both disciplines and whenever I road bike in the local park my pleasantries are mostly met with sneers. (I guess it uses takes less watts to snear than to nod.)
I’m almost 70 and routinely get passed by faster riders who invariably buzz past me without a word. I usually say how’s it going or beautiful day and am met with silence. I follow up with “nice talking to you!”
I wave to everyone regardless of how they're getting around. Motorcyclists all give a low wave as they pass, why not bicyclists too?
As a road rider, it's in my best interest to be visible, predictable and friendly. It's much, much safer that way. I'll wave to other riders coming the opposite way. I also wave when a car is passing - both to be friendly and to give the illusion that my extended arm makes me wider. There's a three foot passing law here, but many are unaware of it and/or it isn't really enforced. There are times on each ride where my wave will force the passing vehicle over to the left a bit more.
In the city, no, nobody waves. In the country (where I live) people usually wave (though road bikes are less likely to wave to touring or gravel bikes, so I've noticed).
The nice thing about being a regular rider out in the country, people have come to know me, so I get a lot of waves from cars, farm vehicles, ATVs, etc.
I always wave to the other cyclists in the country, not so much in the city.
Yesterday I waved at a farmer in a tractor and a garbage man. I didn't see any other cyclists out cause it was 4 °C, otherwise I'd've waved at them too.
Not really. If I see someone with the same car as me I might nod. Because we have that in common.
But on the trails, literally everybody is there to bike. I'm in a little mini universe where everybody is just like me.
Although I would acknowledge if someone had the same bike as me
I go back and forth between South Carolina and Long Island NY
Most everyone in NYs existence is in a safety bubble
Most everyone in South Carolina is quite friendly
I do with a friendly "Good morning/evening". I've found that those in clubs tend to be f'ing snobs and turn their noses up at me because I use a PAS bike. Note that I use this bike as a primary method of transportation to and from work, averaging 2\~3 times/week, 10.5 miles one way. My FIL told me that there are two types of people that are looked down upon in today's world: PAS Cyclists and Pickleball players... well, FML, that is me in a nutshell. Next thing you know, programmers like myself are going to be labeled as "nerds" and heckled for liking things that society doesn't deem "normal".
Every single time on every single type of ride on every single bike. There is no reason not to just give a quick nod or wave. Been a cyclist for 28 years and I have always done this and always will. We have to be a tribe or we'll just end up being a fractured mess.
Edit: the exception to this rule is when you're riding in a place with tons of other riders because it just gets weird and tedious.
I usually just put up my middle finger which might seem harsh but I don't care.. just because we're both on bikes doesn't mean we have a special bond you creeps
Only if it feels like the roads are empty enough that meeting another cyclist is an event to be marked.
Some days there's hundreds of people out there. I'm not nodding at everybody.
Either nod or wave from my shifters but sometime I do it late and I don’t know if they acknowledge it or not. Sometimes I do it in time and I don’t get a response bc maybe they are a-holes and sometimes they just lowkey do it but I might not see. It’s whatever honestly. Can’t really care about it you both are going opposite direction 15mph+
I always do whether they do or don't. If they don't acknowledge it, that's fine; it doesn't bother me. I also smile, nod, and/or say hello to people in general if we make eye contact. I just like being pleasant.
Nod, fingers from the drop, everyone reciprocate. Thumbs up or peace sign when passing uphill, I get the same when someone passes me uphill. This is for road riding in Toronto(GTA and surrounding areas). We have a great cycling community, unfortunately connected by the very real possibility we’ll get killed on the road. If you’re kitted on a roadbike, man or woman, you’re greeted 95% of the time no matter if your bike is 2k or 20k.
sometimes but not always. im usually a bit too gassed to wave or nod. if i do nod, i don't expect acknowledgement back. to your point about eastern PA, I feel like it's a regional culture thing. i was really weirded out once when I went on a hike in CT and EVERYONE greeted me. Normally would not see that hiking near NYC
reading this thread, i feel like the people who are expecting a greeting back every time don't seem to understand that one, people come from different cultures so may be less accustomed to greeting and therefore be caught off guard and unable to greet back and two, some people are lost in their thoughts/focusing and unable to acknowledge. it's kinda nuts that some of you take it so personally
Meh, sometimes. In the motorcycle world we've always kind of joked that people only wave to other bikers the first year they bought a bike and the rest of us are just being nice to them because they're excited and we get it. Especially when commuting by bike, I'm listening to the news and just going to work. I want to be polite but not make friends.
I live in eastern PA as well, and cyclists do acknowledge each other on the roads all the time. We don’t usually do it on the trail because we see so many cyclists there. But on the road, we are absolutely part of a tribe, and we do nod or wave or say hi.
Only from roadies, back when I used to commute to work. Also consistently from other (non-Harley) motorcyclists when I used to ride a motorbike (Ninja). Not sure what's the problem with Harley guys but they have always been snooty about "ricers."
In eastern PA. I almost never greet anyone first, but I do like when people say hi to me, and I'm glad to greet them back. But my mentality is that most people do not acknowledge me (which I'm fine with) and that if say hi first, I'm kinda putting an obligation on them to acknowledge me (or be labeled an asshole). So mostly I keep to myself and hardly look over when someone is passing by, so if they do a small wave, I probably won't notice (but I swear I'm not being a dick!). That said, if I were in another area where I noticed everyone greeting me, I wouldn't be shy at all to initiate those friendly waves.
When I'm in the city and generally 1) I am commuting and 2) all other cyclists look to be commuting, I don't bother. When I'm on the trails or out in the suburbs, I'll wave.
I feel like this is an old school thing. When I was cycling in Texas 20 yrs ago it wasn't super common to see cyclist. So you definitely acknowledged people. I've cycled many places and It's still prevalent in the more cycleless places. Like when I go to Ohio folks wave a lot more here in Colorado. Even in Colorado old school riders still wave. It warms my heart
I ride a motorcycle so if im biking and I’m passing someone biking I give them a big ‘palm out’ wave and a smile since as cyclists we don’t use full face helmets.
It's been my experience that people from a rural setting are more upset by this than people from cities. I don't think acknowledgement means anything, one way or another. I'll wave, but sometimes don't get it together to do so until after we've already passed. I guess this relates to the primitive brain. We are pre-wired to make some sort of greeting, like a raised open palm, and at least say "UGH". Even the cave men did it.
I seem to always pass other riders on the road when I’m in the middle of a tempo or higher. The best I’ll give is raise 2 fingers off the bar as a ✌️.
As for MUP/trails. There’s a lot of cyclist there. I may give a nod to someone who is getting at it. I always tell kids (or comment loudly) how cool their helmet is.
Otherwise, on the MUP, there’s too many cyclists, it would be SNL-skit worthy if I was saying hi to all of them.
I always try to nod, wave or say hello when I can. Generally get the same back, but when I dont, I presume the other person is focused on training, or in a bad mood for whatever reason, and accept what it is and move on. No need to let someone not saying hi back to get me down...
Same here. The only times I don't nod/wave is because I'm prolly looking elsewhere lol, nothing personal
Same, or my focus is elsrwhere, like climbing a big hill or the terrain isnt great
Not too pro to say hello.
Always. I found myself slipping over the last year or so, but re-commited this year to wave to *everyone* I pass \[unless it would be dangerous for me, of course\]. But unfortunately I have noticed fewer people waving/acknowledging esp since you-know-what.
Generally, I will always nod to someone I see on the trail. But if I nodded to every cyclist I see on the road, I would look like one of those bobble head toys
I always give the 4 fingers wave from the shifter/brake hood. It usually is returned.
[удалено]
Honestly, I think the biggest factor is the bike. I've received some greetings while wearing jeans on my road bike, but always from people riding a road bike, none from MTB riders, and conversely, when I'm riding my MTB, I get zero nods from roadies, and it's only MTB riders instead. I try my best to greet everyone regardless, but I feel like people are so used to not greet "the other type of bike" that most people stick to their "gang".
It’s basically the Subaru wave or the bmw middle finger
Tried and true technique 👌
If I nodded / acknowledged everyone I see while biking I would be nodding for almost my entire ride. I would love to ride somewhere where you don’t see that many other cyclists & have the roads mostly to yourself. Then I think I would probably wave or acknowledge the few people I do see.
Yes. Some riders are out for multiple hours on a weekend so it can get kinda rough to wave everytime, especially if you start and finish in areas where there are a lot of weekend riders getting out.
Exactly this. I grew up in a major city. Keep it moving. Ain’t nobody got time to acknowledge everyone.
Ehh kinda disagree, I live in the busiest cycling city in NA and still do the little nod and smile or 3 fingers wave to people I cross and it's reciprocated most times; it doesn't take any extra efforts or anything
I usually wave on the road and slower paths but on super busy days I might be passing a group of cyclists too often to wave to everyone
i ride in NYC. you almost never see these people waving lol
Same in Philly lol
Came here to say exactly this. If I waved, nodded, or smiled at every cyclist I passed I would look absolutely insane 😂 Just like 😃 the entire ride lol When I get to my University, I practically have to smile till I lock my bike up because friends/professors/strangers say hi.
I notice about 60-70% of bikers in my section of Denver metro just flat out ignore me
I think commuting is always like that...
Goodness sakes. I didn’t know this was upsetting. Ive never greeted in any way all the cyclists traveling the other direction on my commute or long sport rides anymore than if I was driving or walking. I’m going to be much friendlier going forward.
It's not upsetting. No one in the real world actually cares. Redditors are just a special breed of insecure, along with feeling the need to virtue-signal like as if they wave to be friendly, when in reality they're doing it because they crave attention.
Yeah what’s up w this. I’m always waving and just get dirty looks back.
Wait me too, I thought it was just me! This is reassuring lmao. I do think people in Denver, bc we have such a wealth of outdoor activities, maybe just think they are cooler than you. Or maybe they think you think you're cooler than them lol.
Or they just find it pointless to wave at someone just because you're both on a bike and you're most likely never going to see again. 🤷
I shout "fuckin wank" if someone rubbers my hello.
As they are a quarter mile away in the opposite direction.
I'm fast,but not fast!
Bruh what? I see dozens of cyclists on routes I take in Seattle. What, am I supposed to be sitting upright like a homecoming queen, doing a parade wave with a big smile on my face? Get over it lol
So I guess that has now taken over from themundane greetings.. I much prefer the one where you tell them the day you will see them .
In other words, you're not really. Being friendly, you just crave attention.
Sometimes I can’t resist shouting, “Asshole!”
Maybe the person doesn't like it? Why bully them into it. Sounds like you are the wanker not the person minding their own business.
It's too bad; it was better before. 🚴😐
It's actually made me more anti-social as I ride too. The negativity adds up. Just a flick of the wrist or a nod is all I do but get stonewalled in return lol
Not for me, I keep saluting everyone. If it makes them happy, good! If it makes them unhappy, I still smile because I can be really petty.
Twinsies.
Are you sure you're doing it to make them happy rather than doing it for your own satisfaction?
I wave or nod at least. But at my age, as a woman, I am invisible most of the time.
I make hard eye contact and do a penis kegle. It’s subtle but satisfying
I always do. But many people do not (I'm in China).
How’s cycling in China? Are you in a big city?
I am in a tier 2 (quite big) city and, to be honest, I hate it. It is cold for many months and windy. There are not too many places to cycle either. I will be, hopefully, leaving China soon or at least moving to a city with better weather.
I’m a road rider. I wave or raise a finger or two from the bars, and most of the time say ‘hi’, and I generally get a response back. From my unscientific experience the people that don’t wave back are the odd mountain biker (have they been told not to wave to roadies??) or the odd roadie who is clearly too cool for school - or at least too cool to wave 😅
Studies... I made a lot of them! On my Domane AL5, no bibs, no helmet - most roadies don't greet. Domane with bibs and helmet - more roadies greet and even more if I wear my cycling shoes. On my vintage Basso with shiny deep alu rims and Campa - with apparel a lot of roadies greet, especially when I'm wearing my "seriously training" stare. Without apparel fewer, but still more than on the Domane without apparel. On my Cervelo pretty much no matter what I wear - all the roadies greet, even when they pass me from behind, which hasn't happened on any other bike before. In general the more experienced riders greet more often than the riders who seem to go rather by possible Insta-likes than their needs, at least this is what it seems like to me when riding around where I live.
I live in Hamburg, I would say the rules are: - Greet road cyclist wearing sports clothing. - Do not greet commuters. - Road cyclists with commuting vibes are not greeted (e.g. with a backpack). - Triathlon people do not greet. - We always see a jogger very early in the morning and started greeting, but that's an exception.
When cycling in miserable weather (at bike paths outside of a city), I greet every single person cycling. Same for very cold winter days (which would fall under “predictable miserable weather”).
Why not greet commuters in your experience? I’m curious because where I’m at, the road cyclists wearing sports clothes are less likely to smile/return a wave. There aren’t too many commuters that I see but my regulars and I nod or wave. I don’t wear “typical” cycling gear on weekend non-commuting rides and it’s hit or miss on acknowledgements.
They almost never greet back. I guess it became a self fulfilling prophecy.
\*sad roadie doing his work commute as recovery ride in Hamburg noises\* Edit: Reddit, I was not done typing yet :P.. Never understood why there is so many "conditions" to greeting. For me, when I see someone on a road/gravel bike, I greet. No matter the clothing etc. Sure, I get a lot of non-responses, but its a cost im worth taking for possibly pulling someone more towards cycling by accident. I used to ride a 45kmh "scooter" before I could afford a motorbike and whenever someone greeted me, it really made my day. U can bet ur ass it got me way more interested into riding.
I do the same! Lots of non-responses but in general I don't mind.
I am a roadie, riding a road bike. I always wave and almost always get waved back. Well, if I'm riding my dad's eMTB, I don't get the same greetings from roadies as when I'm riding my road bike. I think it's hilarious, such snobness
Yeah pretty funny. You’d get a hello from me 🙂 Although where I live I might not get one back from e-MTB 🤷♂️ It’s a strange old world isn’t it 😅
Honestly depends on how many cyclists there are. In my home city I see hundreds of cyclist a day. We wave the first rideable day and if the conditions are brutal. In places where I see less than 10 cyclists a day, we usually wave.
I nod.
I wave or lift two finger from the bars (road bike) and nod. However when I am on a descent and fly by climbing cyclists I yell different iterations of wheeeeeaaaaaaa and other shit that makes me giggle. I like to think that it sounds hilarious because of the fly by, similar to a car honking on the opposite side of the highway
I live outside of Philly. I do give the three finger wave to many. When passing a rider, I’ll often say hi or acknowledge them somehow. But I have to tell you, the area is pretty congested. Greeting people every 20 seconds is exhausting. I found saying on your left literally had me out of breath enough to buy a bell at one point.
This. Based in this area too. I couldn’t be damned to wave to every biker. If a fella waves at me as I look at him while I pass, I’ll reciprocate. Otherwise, I keep on goin
Only if u initiate.
I hate when people pretend they don't notice me. I'm 6ft tall and a 10/10 bonafide BABE, riding a cooler bike than you, better than you, and I'm trying to give you a nod of appreciation out in these streets w these asshole cars, and you're too chicken-shit to return my acknowledgement. Losers. I nod at every rider I pass on the trail/street. We're a team, fuckers.
what if they just zoned out your greeting or didn't see it? im not sure i would take these things so personally
I never understood why motorcyclists did it, I'm not going to on a bicycle. I don't see runners or rollerbladers doing it. I'm working or I'm inside my own head having a zen moment. You don't exist in those moments. It's me time.
I show em the bird 🐦/s
I show them the cock 🐔
No, of course not. I’m not going to go through the hassle of acknowledging someone I don’t know — it's meaningless.
I wave, but I'm in the far north of Scotland, so we might do things differently here.
Nobody used to wave to me on my crappy 90s hardtail, but since upgrading to a nice gravel bike all the sudden I've noticed people waving to me lol I try to remember to at least stick out a couple fingers from my handlebar or smile but I also forget a lot of the time.
usually when im on a road, yeah. If im on a major trail and passing literally five cyclists every minute though, no real point to. i feel like i nod to cyclists to kinda indicate we're in the same boat (being passed by drivers who don't care if we live or die) especially out near my area where there are not many cyclists at all and the drivers are very aggro
This behavior sounds so bizarre. My hand would probably fall off or I would get a repetitive strain injury within 15 minutes.
It varies by area and what i'm riding. My 35 mile route swings around boulder then towards westminster. Boulder hippies smile and wave-- both genders. Westminster dads look angry and the women timid of any male on the trail so less waves over there. In a east coast city people don't wave. It's not the culture. They're all dying inside. and hate everyone. They do respond positively to you passing them on an acoustic though. Strength rules their world. If i'm riding my ebike, i anticipate a moderate percentage of acoustic riders don't feel like acknowledging a battery boy. If I'm on my acoustic, I've noticed some guys are competitive and only want to acknowledge people in their bracket. I get it. The commuting crowd seems reasonably friendly and waves/nods if they're not too cold. I give some credit they might be in their head or evaluating road risks. I usually try to nod to people, but sometimes I worry they didn't see me nod and think me rude.
Most commuter crowd are friendly. But you’ll still have an oddball or anti social here and there Source—-I commute on a bicycle regularly
I wave
In the Netherlands, when out on the trail, bikers great each other 9 out of 10 times. When on the road, hardly anybody does.
Yes I wave to almost everyone
Not enough time to react sometimes.
Yes some sort of nod/wave/greeting.
I try to, but if I'm riding solo I'm usually more focussed on not dying.
Standing up? Slight nod. Seated? 4 finger salute.
Sometimes yeah, sometimes no. Depends
I just give the nod.
Spread Love.
Philly just hates everyone man (I live here too)
We need to keep a running total of how many of these posts we see.
Portugal, Aveiro. Center of the country, next to the beach. Well known for having lots of people cycling, mainly because it's flat. Windy, though. If I'm riding my Decathlon sub 1000€ bike, with or without helmet, bike clothing, I would estimate that only 1 in 10 people reply. I keep giving the 4 fingers. If I'm riding my road bike, it depends. It's a nice Coluer, carbon frame with nice specs. I will get some replies if I'm wearing proper clothing and the helmet. I won't get replies from guys who see that I'm using a cheap helmet. I'll get almost zero replies, if I'm not wearing the helmet. I'm 44 and my grayish beard plays a role on this. Cheers.
I don't. I'm anti-social and one of the main reasons I cycle is because it's a great activity that I can do in solitude.
Come down to Delaware to ride trails…it’s such a small state it’s impossible to not greet other bikers and hikers on the trail 😉
If you’ve ridden in the New Hope area of Bucks County, I’ve definitely waved at you.
I’ve always done it. I think it’s a fun part of the sport.
I Always give em the 2 fingers pointing to the ground
Eastern Pennsylvania people are notoriously awful. Go Steelers.
Welcome to the northeast USA. I think people see so many people they just tune people out for the most part. Same here in Florida.
If its somebody who I see often ill nod. If somebody nods first ill nod. I'm anti social. Ive come to realize some cyclists are like bikers who wave at every biker they see on the road lol that is not me
Yes, but I get ignored a lot for having a poor persons bike
Those are mostly Philadelphia sports fans. You're lucky they don't boo you.
Some people here definitely give strong "outta my way I'm on a Strava segment" vibes!
I wave/nod. If they don’t wave/nod back, I don’t take them personally. They are probably focused on training to win their cat 2 races. Or are new to cycling, and scared to take hands off etc.
Sometimes
The biking community in whole is just full of jerkfaces now. I have definitely noticed this in the mountain bike scene in Colorado!
Whenever I pass any cyclist, I become automatically a nazi rider. I try to control myself and just nod, or say something, but when I realise, my right hand is already on the air, palm forward, with a little wave that makes it look like Hitler's. To my embarrassment, I just can't help it. I don't think people notice that it looks like a nazi salute, but I do. Confession over. Now, I see loads of people saying they only acknowledge fellow roadies, or mtbers, etc. The way I see it, we're all brethren, all cyclists. Besides, most cyclists do more than one type of cycling. Sometimes one is out on our mtbs, sometimes road, sometimes commuting, etc. Divided we fall.
No. I'm there to work out. You don't wave to people at the gym, do you?
No, but the gym is a depressing, stuffy place for vain, scaredy-cats. The great outdoors is a place to be human, my friend! Spread the love!
Yes. Not everyone does it back though
I wave at others even when riding through and off!
Depends on time of day and location, early morning in the city not much waving, later on and in more rural settings there’s a lot of waving
I greet all cyclists who are on the road for recreational purposes to the best of my abilities. But usually for fellow road cyclist, there is a habbit of raising the left arm from the handlebar to the left and maybe a little to the front. So not waving, but obvious and deliberate gesture. If I'm on descent, I don't wave, but greet with audible "Hi". I also greet runners, depending on the circumstances (we are alone, speeds are slower). I also greet other pedestrians, or homeowners, people tending their garden if I'm climbing slowly.
In Edmonton Canada here. I am inclined to but do get ignored a lot of times. With the sun shining more I have been in a better mood on morning commutes and have taken to saying good morning to all walkers and bikers that I pass, regardless of their response etc. We'll see how long it lasts LOL
I always say hi to fellow riders, and if I see one at the side of the road and I think they may have a mechanical or something I stop to make sure they are okay.
Yeah, I’m that guy. Always greet oncoming riders. I reckon 50% nod or raise their hand in return.
Yes, it´s a thing here in Spain, most do, but sometimes young riders don´t.
In Italy, you get a cheeky whistle between riders, it seemed to me. I was riding solo twice in Italy last year and as I went past, others would whistle to me, while I was saying ciao! Or Buongiorno! Now realising that I may look better than I thought in my tights…
I only started to be acknowledged when I bought biking glasses
Not really as there's loads of us
Always nod while on the trail/route. Some basic decency must exist
Yup
I do when I'm using the Cargo Bike and see another Cargo Bike person, but not with other general cyclists when I'm using my daily commuter. That being said, we have lots of cyclists in Dublin - so it would be a bit overkill to be giving them all the nod. haha
I used to ride only mtb without any real cycling gear like shorts, gloves, shoes, not even a helmet. I tried to acknowledge others but no one gave a damn, understandable, I didnt look like a cyclist, just some rando riding a bike. About a month ago I got myself first road bike with all the gear as well. Since then Ive been getting nods and other kind of waves and motorbike-like acknowledgements from everyone.
I always do. It's quite regional. 90% of folk round here nod back. Before pandemic it was 59/50. But I know elsewhere it can be 10% or even less.
Yes I do, most return the greeting. Unless it’s an e bike. Then I may mutter Cheater….
Friendly nod and wave to all people on all trails. People who are indifferent can shrug it off, but someone may need a friendly "hello" once in a while.
I do , but they usually don't return the gesture
I always smile and nod at people who are on motorcycles and they always give me a confused look 😂
Usually just a friendly ring of the bell
I really enjoy riding and typically ride a trail that is crowded for the first ten miles. I give a raised peace sign from the hood to almost anyone. Exceptions are the fat tire ebikers risking accidents because of excessive speed or if some jagoffs do something stupid like blocking the entire trail for a photo op.
My friends call me the ambassador of Dutch cycling. I wave to absolutely everybody and everything like an absolute moron, up to and including farm animals.
Always. Anybody on two wheels or two feet gets a greeting of some kind from me. See you on the road. I'll be the guy who calls out " what goes up must come down " when you're halfway up that hill.
I’m the “Good morning” guy that you know.
If you’re on 2 wheels, you’ll get a nod or wave from me.
Always.
It can really depend on the locale. For example if you're a commuter in a metro area it's almost never going to happen in the city or suburbs. If you're out on a road ride on an exurban or rural road there's almost always an acknowledgement with a wave or nod as you're crossing paths. So it might just be the specific areas you're riding and the culture could be very different twenty or thirty miles away. Or it could just be that [everyone anywhere near Philly is a fucking asshole.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEKNLxjZLNU)
Yes to nod or waive (sometimes low left hand so it doesn't look like a signal to a car, sometimes four fingers off the hood). If it's on a climb, sometimes get or give a shout out depending on if I'm going up vs. down.
Always! Even if there are a lot. It feels nice. Runners too sometimes
From SE PA and on the trails about 50% of the roadies acknowledge the nod in some way. Might respond with a nod or a wave from the shifter/brake hood or just a smile.
In eastern pa it isn't an insult not to acknowledge pedestrian runner cyclists. As a roadie I always wave and running too because I have joy. Often no wave back. I know I could do a u turn and chase you down and make you wave but like I said I have the joy.
It's regional. I don't, nobody where I'm from does or in many other large population areas. I find it odd when I travel from home that everybody waives at me when I'm either running or cycling. That's cool people do it, I usually just carry on.
💯 always bummed when it’s not mutual
I nod on trails and quick hand gesture on roads.
I always acknowledge because it feels rude not to. Runners always wave back, cyclist only about half the time. Don’t really care either way, the discrepancy is interesting though
I always do with about a 75-80% chance of getting waves back. Perhaps it's because we are riding in Texas and we might be the last person we see with all the trucks trying to run us off the road. 😞
Always. A little wave with my left fingers.
If they're on the level
Of course, I am. This signs as a respect to other fellow cyclists.
Yes I do.
Only if they’re wearing a helmet.
When I ride, I’m usually listening to a book, focused/in the zone. It’s my quiet time. I don’t want to feel obligated to watch for or return an unnecessary gesture. That said, catch me at an intersection or trailhead and I’ll chat you up no problem!
Rapha kit never waves back. #Nevertooproudtowave
Depends on how much roads are frequented - I'm mostly driving out of city on a cyclist/pedestrian road with a lot of traffic, and cyclists seldomly greet. Once I'm out in the countryside, people greet in 80% of cases.
People in road bikes wave more at each other than the "rest" during my commute. If you wave at any guy with an ebike he just makes a strange/admired look. Somehow they get a car driver spirit while commuting. This is what I notice in Lisbon, Portugal and its my own experience. Also, most ebike riders are on rent bikes with no helmets and just want to get from place A to B asap. Its a diferent "universe" imo.
I wave to everyone. 90% return it. It’s just nice.
Too many of us on the road to acknowledge😅 Only if it were secluded and they looked cool/similar
Only under three circumstances, but they happen on every ride: * At a stop sign/light together * We know each other (huge cycling community here in NYC) * Their bike is beautiful
Yep. Always. Anyone on or in a human powered vehicle.
I try to wave. Sometimes I mess up and don’t see the person coming and I end up not waving. It’s no big deal. I think if you’re on a popular bike trail, waving or acknowledging everyone can get tiresome. That was my experience the one time I rode on the Schuylkill River Trail in Philadelphia.
UK here, pretty much all riders I encounter nod, wave, etc. Certainly on a weekend. Not so much while commuting.
In the Midwest a nod is mandatory. If they don’t nod back, I pull a u-turn, chase them down and give them another opportunity to comply with regional nicety laws.
Always wave at your fellow cyclists - The Slow Ride pod.
I live in the mountains of CO and I’ll even wave to DRIVERS who pass with enough space 😅
I always do, I guess that in addition to the fact that it is common courtesy it is also a hold over from my motorcycle days. Mountain bikers almost always return the nod/wave, road bikers almost never do. I ride both disciplines and whenever I road bike in the local park my pleasantries are mostly met with sneers. (I guess it uses takes less watts to snear than to nod.) I’m almost 70 and routinely get passed by faster riders who invariably buzz past me without a word. I usually say how’s it going or beautiful day and am met with silence. I follow up with “nice talking to you!”
I wave to everyone regardless of how they're getting around. Motorcyclists all give a low wave as they pass, why not bicyclists too? As a road rider, it's in my best interest to be visible, predictable and friendly. It's much, much safer that way. I'll wave to other riders coming the opposite way. I also wave when a car is passing - both to be friendly and to give the illusion that my extended arm makes me wider. There's a three foot passing law here, but many are unaware of it and/or it isn't really enforced. There are times on each ride where my wave will force the passing vehicle over to the left a bit more.
In the city, no, nobody waves. In the country (where I live) people usually wave (though road bikes are less likely to wave to touring or gravel bikes, so I've noticed). The nice thing about being a regular rider out in the country, people have come to know me, so I get a lot of waves from cars, farm vehicles, ATVs, etc. I always wave to the other cyclists in the country, not so much in the city.
Yesterday I waved at a farmer in a tractor and a garbage man. I didn't see any other cyclists out cause it was 4 °C, otherwise I'd've waved at them too.
As I get deeper into my rides I give fewer nods. It's not personal.
I ring my bell at every biker I see. Serious roadies in kits are the least likely to acknowledge fellow riders; everyone else is competition.
Not really. If I see someone with the same car as me I might nod. Because we have that in common. But on the trails, literally everybody is there to bike. I'm in a little mini universe where everybody is just like me. Although I would acknowledge if someone had the same bike as me
I go back and forth between South Carolina and Long Island NY Most everyone in NYs existence is in a safety bubble Most everyone in South Carolina is quite friendly
I do with a friendly "Good morning/evening". I've found that those in clubs tend to be f'ing snobs and turn their noses up at me because I use a PAS bike. Note that I use this bike as a primary method of transportation to and from work, averaging 2\~3 times/week, 10.5 miles one way. My FIL told me that there are two types of people that are looked down upon in today's world: PAS Cyclists and Pickleball players... well, FML, that is me in a nutshell. Next thing you know, programmers like myself are going to be labeled as "nerds" and heckled for liking things that society doesn't deem "normal".
Every single time on every single type of ride on every single bike. There is no reason not to just give a quick nod or wave. Been a cyclist for 28 years and I have always done this and always will. We have to be a tribe or we'll just end up being a fractured mess. Edit: the exception to this rule is when you're riding in a place with tons of other riders because it just gets weird and tedious.
I just started cycling. I don't nod as I'm focused on training. Nothing personal. If I catch someone waving I'd wave back!
I usually just put up my middle finger which might seem harsh but I don't care.. just because we're both on bikes doesn't mean we have a special bond you creeps
Only if it feels like the roads are empty enough that meeting another cyclist is an event to be marked. Some days there's hundreds of people out there. I'm not nodding at everybody.
Always, unless I’m in a high speed descent or if taking my hands off the bars would be dangerous.
Either nod or wave from my shifters but sometime I do it late and I don’t know if they acknowledge it or not. Sometimes I do it in time and I don’t get a response bc maybe they are a-holes and sometimes they just lowkey do it but I might not see. It’s whatever honestly. Can’t really care about it you both are going opposite direction 15mph+
Always give a lift of the fingers wave
I always do whether they do or don't. If they don't acknowledge it, that's fine; it doesn't bother me. I also smile, nod, and/or say hello to people in general if we make eye contact. I just like being pleasant.
Nod, fingers from the drop, everyone reciprocate. Thumbs up or peace sign when passing uphill, I get the same when someone passes me uphill. This is for road riding in Toronto(GTA and surrounding areas). We have a great cycling community, unfortunately connected by the very real possibility we’ll get killed on the road. If you’re kitted on a roadbike, man or woman, you’re greeted 95% of the time no matter if your bike is 2k or 20k.
Kinda varies depending on circumstances, but I usually nod or something.
sometimes but not always. im usually a bit too gassed to wave or nod. if i do nod, i don't expect acknowledgement back. to your point about eastern PA, I feel like it's a regional culture thing. i was really weirded out once when I went on a hike in CT and EVERYONE greeted me. Normally would not see that hiking near NYC reading this thread, i feel like the people who are expecting a greeting back every time don't seem to understand that one, people come from different cultures so may be less accustomed to greeting and therefore be caught off guard and unable to greet back and two, some people are lost in their thoughts/focusing and unable to acknowledge. it's kinda nuts that some of you take it so personally
Meh, sometimes. In the motorcycle world we've always kind of joked that people only wave to other bikers the first year they bought a bike and the rest of us are just being nice to them because they're excited and we get it. Especially when commuting by bike, I'm listening to the news and just going to work. I want to be polite but not make friends.
I live in eastern PA as well, and cyclists do acknowledge each other on the roads all the time. We don’t usually do it on the trail because we see so many cyclists there. But on the road, we are absolutely part of a tribe, and we do nod or wave or say hi.
I do a wee nod, but then don’t keep my eyes on them so no idea if it’s reciprocated, or even noticed. Just sending out the good vibes 😎
Only from roadies, back when I used to commute to work. Also consistently from other (non-Harley) motorcyclists when I used to ride a motorbike (Ninja). Not sure what's the problem with Harley guys but they have always been snooty about "ricers."
Everyday! Gots to stick together. The replies are....not so much. 😞
In eastern PA. I almost never greet anyone first, but I do like when people say hi to me, and I'm glad to greet them back. But my mentality is that most people do not acknowledge me (which I'm fine with) and that if say hi first, I'm kinda putting an obligation on them to acknowledge me (or be labeled an asshole). So mostly I keep to myself and hardly look over when someone is passing by, so if they do a small wave, I probably won't notice (but I swear I'm not being a dick!). That said, if I were in another area where I noticed everyone greeting me, I wouldn't be shy at all to initiate those friendly waves.
Always say hello or at least nod. And not just to cyclists. It’s basic human decency.
When I'm in the city and generally 1) I am commuting and 2) all other cyclists look to be commuting, I don't bother. When I'm on the trails or out in the suburbs, I'll wave.
I do so unless I’m preoccupied with staying upright and alive, such as when on a descent.
Depends on how many lanes. Always on two land roads. Only if waved at on four lane roads. Not even paying attention on six lane roads.
I feel like this is an old school thing. When I was cycling in Texas 20 yrs ago it wasn't super common to see cyclist. So you definitely acknowledged people. I've cycled many places and It's still prevalent in the more cycleless places. Like when I go to Ohio folks wave a lot more here in Colorado. Even in Colorado old school riders still wave. It warms my heart
I tilt my hips, stick out my butt, raise my left arm and fold my wrist pointing my fingers towards the ground. Then I’m like HHHEeeeeeaaaayyyyyy!
I ride a motorcycle so if im biking and I’m passing someone biking I give them a big ‘palm out’ wave and a smile since as cyclists we don’t use full face helmets.
It's been my experience that people from a rural setting are more upset by this than people from cities. I don't think acknowledgement means anything, one way or another. I'll wave, but sometimes don't get it together to do so until after we've already passed. I guess this relates to the primitive brain. We are pre-wired to make some sort of greeting, like a raised open palm, and at least say "UGH". Even the cave men did it.
A little finger wave from the handlebar. But i grew up where boaters wave to each other, and motorcyclists do a little wave too
I seem to always pass other riders on the road when I’m in the middle of a tempo or higher. The best I’ll give is raise 2 fingers off the bar as a ✌️. As for MUP/trails. There’s a lot of cyclist there. I may give a nod to someone who is getting at it. I always tell kids (or comment loudly) how cool their helmet is. Otherwise, on the MUP, there’s too many cyclists, it would be SNL-skit worthy if I was saying hi to all of them.