I don't have much experience with triathletes but damn cyclists are annoying.
I don't have much experience with triathletes but damn cyclists are annoying.
Haile Gebrselassie, Alistair Brownlee, Lance Armstrong.
Which do you think?
I'd say it is cycling, but running has a couple of douche nozzles. Nick Symmonds is universally viewed as running's biggest douche nozzle.
All three can be pretty bad in different situations. Runners have letsrun, which is full of douche nozzles looking to bash anyone and anything for any reason. There is no spirit of inclusion at all.
Cyclists can be douches on the internet too, but it doesn't seem to be as universal.
I've only frequented a few triathlete forums, and none as much as running and cycling forums, but I didn't find hardly any douchebaggery.
In the real world, runners are a tight knit bunch, and even within a running club, it can be hard to feel included. Runners tend to be selfish and want to run at their pace and do their thing with no regard for what anyone else wants. That's fine of course, but why run with a group then?
Cycling clubs tend to be very inclusive and no one will ever ride alone. More accomplished riders will frequently hang back with slower riders. None of the comments about out of date gear on the internet seem to carry over to group rides.
I was a member of the local tri club for years. They had a good winter training program and membership got you into their excellent training facility. These were the nicest most inclusive people I've ever met. Yes, a lot of them had setups worth more than my car. Yes, some of them talked about it a lot. However, some folks showed up with Huffy-type bikes to put on trainers and no one ever made them feel bad or out of place. I ended up running a few legs as a relay team member over the summers with these guys and it was always a blast.
At races, runners are indifferent to anyone that they see as not being as serious a runner as they are. As long as you stay out of their way, they don't care.
Cyclists can be super douchey at races, with good reason. If you get in the way or do something stupid in a running race, usually the worst that happens is that someone fast has to go around someone slow. In a bike race, it can lead to a terrible crash. Inexperienced riders are dangerous in a group.
Triathlon is more similar to running. Most tris start in waves, so slower people can't get in the way of faster people. Many triathletes are more competitive with themselves than with other people.
I will chime in as someone who has raced at a "serious" amateur level (go ahead and laugh!) at road cycling, MTB, triathlon, xc skiing, running, and ultrarunning. My experience, from most douchy to least:
Triathlon
Road cycling
Running
MTB
XC skiing
Ultrarunning
cyclists who spend $10k+ on new bikes and then do this:
http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/53c2ca2fecad044e15e9e1f2/luca%20paolini%20bike%20throw.gif
I believe the answer is Accounting.
Accountant from NJ wrote:
I don't have much experience with triathletes but damn cyclists are annoying.
Runners are snobs, cyclists are douches, triathletes are aholes.
Accountant from NJ wrote:
I don't have much experience with triathletes but damn cyclists are annoying.
none of these compares to the doucheness of cross-fit
cbenson4 wrote:
cyclists who spend $10k+ on new bikes and then do this:
http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/53c2ca2fecad044e15e9e1f2/luca%20paolini%20bike%20throw.gif
You don't really think Paolini pays for his bikes do you?
Having been involved in all three communities extensively, I can assure you guys without a doubt it is Triathlon. And there is only one reason why this is. The word "Ironman". The sport itself is actually awesome, but "douche nozzles" want to be an "Ironman" and therefore it has become a magnet for them. Literally, that is the only reason. It's really not even something to be debated if you get people together that have spent time in all three communities listed.
another hs coach wrote:
cbenson4 wrote:cyclists who spend $10k+ on new bikes and then do this:
http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/53c2ca2fecad044e15e9e1f2/luca%20paolini%20bike%20throw.gifYou don't really think Paolini pays for his bikes do you?
Having been involved in all three communities extensively, I can assure you guys without a doubt it is Triathlon. And there is only one reason why this is. The word "Ironman". The sport itself is actually awesome, but "douche nozzles" want to be an "Ironman" and therefore it has become a magnet for them. Literally, that is the only reason. It's really not even something to be debated if you get people together that have spent time in all three communities listed.
I don't know who Paolini is. Just googled cyclist throwing bike and it came up.
I have to say runners are more likely to think less of those who can't run that fast. Much of the stuff you hear on this site does not come out of a vacuum. The hobby jogger and other comments do reflect a attitude in many. Even the really good guys will occasionally make a joke about slow runners.
Cyclists seem to act a bit like ambassadors of their sport, at times it might be slightly condensending, but they seem to mean well.
The tri guys are very helpful except to the guys they feel are competitors. They can be extremely secretive about equipment and training.
I participate in all 3 and it's running hands down. Triathletes are the nicest / most fun to socialize with on the weekends.
another hs coach wrote:
Having been involved in all three communities extensively, I can assure you guys without a doubt it is Triathlon. And there is only one reason why this is. The word "Ironman". The sport itself is actually awesome, but "douche nozzles" want to be an "Ironman" and therefore it has become a magnet for them. Literally, that is the only reason. It's really not even something to be debated if you get people together that have spent time in all three communities listed.
A
M
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Nailed it (although I must admit have no idea about xc skiing).
Lots of votes for tri-ers, and I would second that (um, I mean 5th or 6th it) for the most obvious reason:
Tri-people combine annoying characteristics of 3 different types of athletes:runners, cyclists, swimmers (yes, they can all have their negative qualities), all wrapped into an obsession with their hobby that one sport athletes can't match. It's ALL consuming with lots of these people. They will out-gear hear the gear-head cyclists, out-nerd the running dorks, and out-bore the bored/boring swimmers (going back and forth 1000s of times in 25yd pool just can't be exciting)
Imagine how much time one can obsess about, try to train for, and then talk about one of these 3 sports, and then multiply that by 3. That's what many tri people do. And then of course they think they are 3 x the athlete because of this.
Sure, people who do it casually are not this way, but this sports seems to attract people who are obsessive compulsive, so a lots of obsessed-with-my-hobby/obsessed-wth-myself types.
not that difficult wrote:
Haile Gebrselassie, Alistair Brownlee, Lance Armstrong.
Which do you think?
Which sport did Lance get his start in, and then finish with?
Now you see.
Cycling, AINEC.
Cyclists, then triathletes.
Both are smug gear heads.
Cyclists run lights.
Swimming in a choppy lake isn't a sport.
But runners are closing fast:
Car decals, Yasso 800s, flock.
Halfs.
4555555 wrote:
I will chime in as someone who has raced at a "serious" amateur level (go ahead and laugh!) at road cycling, MTB, triathlon, xc skiing, running, and ultrarunning. My experience, from most douchy to least:
Triathlon
Road cycling
Running
MTB
XC skiing
Ultrarunning
I've done all of these except ultras. You have to move up XC. I was doing a XC race once, loop course, and one of the fast-holes lapped me and asked if I was lost. I also classic ski on the trails (in the designated grooves) every other weekend and the douche skate skiers all look down at you. Total douches.
Road racing. The guy that wrote about club riders hanging back with the slower ones is wrong. club cycling is super competitive and no one will help you. the other club members want to move up categories and will NOT help you period.
Here's the revised list:
Road Cycling
XC skiing
Triathlon
MTB
running (nicest people I've met)