I noticed on this forum this subject being hinted at ( especially today cough) a number of times since I joined.
Personally it reminds me of an Ogri script where in the pub getting pussed they all agree to go out on a weekend ride the next day in the snow and minus 10 weather to show off how commited they are to biking.
Malcolm goes off , falls off, freezes his knackers off and wonders where Ogri is.
When he gets back to Ogris place looking like a snowman he finds our hero tucked up in bed with two ladies and a crate of beer at his side watching the telly and saying “Where u bin Malcolm?”
Moral don’t be put off by a bit of rain - but don’t be a martyr to it.
(personally I prefer the cold crisp weather - I don’t mind rain too much - but I’m buggered if I’m going out in a monsoon…
I admit to being a bit of a wuss so far … but then I only passed my test last August so there’s not much history (or experience) to go on as yet. I figure that I’ll keep at it til there’s ice/snow or a gale blowing. Dunno if it makes much of a difference whether or not you actually live in London or not during the really bad snow, as out where I am it gets really nasty but I get into town and it’s rarely settled … just a thought
No shame in that - blimey you’ve only been going for a month .
As for snow - well… I have done it for short hops but I’ll avoid if I can ( got a nice warm car as well - what a wuss ) - black ice is a no no in my book though - along with monsoon rain… so early mornings when the temp gets to about 2 degrees are the watershed - do I or don’t I?
I once came off on the Staples Corner Flyover of all places ( low speed , not much damage as I was gingerly pottering about ) the road was literally like glass - I have never seen the like since.
Hats off to all those Police and Despatch riders who do all-weather stuff - rather you than me.
Damn right, if you ride, you’re a biker. Though we have had good discussions before on the difference between those who just use bikes to commute and those that show a more motivated approach to biking and whether or not the two are any less bikers.
I have ridden home from work with the snow pilling up on the front of the bike and lid bit i would rather not go out in itbut nowerdays i can just about afford a car too so when the weather is really crappy i can take that and save me the hassle of changing at home and work
I was a DR for 5 years, ridden in all kinds of cack, riding on the road in wet/cold is far more dangerous and within 5 odd minutes the cold drip that trickles dahn yer crackm misted/rainy visor and even less observant cagers [no, really…] and the great invisible diesel slick lottery rules out any real fun. However, riding off road is far far more fun in the cold & wet than it is in hot, dusty, sunny summer conditions . . . . . . so come winter time, get yer thrills getting dirty offroad . . .
Everyone else is a rider. WE’re all bikers cos we own and ride bikes.
But to earn the title “biker” publically, you have to prepared to go that extra mile I reckon…its an honour thing. Dedication should be a badge of honour, not a synonym for “obsessive” or “geek”.
But honestly. Each to their own. That’s just my view.
Is this a “my dad’s bigger than your dad” kind of thread. Why do certain people need to turn everything into a competition? In my opinion being a biker is far more than just riding your bike, there is the learning of maintaining your bike keeping it road worthy, cleaning and polishing your bike, admiring your bike, reading about bikes, dreaming about bikes etc etc. No one is going to tell me if i’m a biker or not just because i decide when and where i take her out.
This is a devils advocate of a thread - because I have seen a number of ‘hints’ in posts indicating a bit of ‘reverse snobbery’ or ‘I’m bikier than thou’ if you don’t happen to ride 365/24/7 or (shock) wear a suit for work, work in an office or ( becase of work family commitment ) are a ‘weekend warrior’.
Now we have an extra bit of competition - who maintains their bike the most…
Snobbery or reverse snobbery it’s all ********. If someone rides a bike - they’re bikers in my book. There maybe more committed bikers but they ain’t some sort of higher being - they just ride more.
I figure that I’ll keep at it til there’s ice/snow or a gale blowing. Dunno if it makes much of a difference whether or not you actually live in London or not during the really bad snow, as out where I am it gets really nasty but I get into town and it’s rarely settled … just a thought 
but nowerdays i can just about afford a car too so when the weather is really crappy i can take that and save me the hassle of changing at home and work
